UK finance minister vows 'fiscal discipline' in upcoming budget

UK Chancellor John Healey said that he and Prime Minister Andy Burnham are "in lockstep" to meet fiscal rules and maintain control of Britain's finances ahead of next month's budget presentation.

UK Chancellor said "The cost of the nation's debt is not just a number in a Chancellor's budget. It's the money that we can't spend on the NHS, on schools, on housing, on social care, on policing our streets, on controlling our borders, on defending our country. And I tell you, these levels of debt are an assault on our common sense. They're an affront to our values. And that's why the prime minister and I are in lockstep. That we will meet the fiscal rules. That we will maintain control of Britain's finances."

He added that through the core of the budget to be delivered in a month's time, there will be fiscal discipline aimed at giving families and businesses breathing space, driving good growth and jobs in more places, and writing a new chapter of hope for Britain's future."